Bank staffer accused of stealing

Dubai // A female Emirates Bank employee used a customer's signature to obtain a credit card, then withdrew almost Dh100,000 (US$27,220) from the victim's account, Dubai Criminal Court was told. HA, a 30-year-old Emirati, is charged with forgery of bank documents, fraudulent use of a credit card and embezzlement of Dh99,580. When HA gave the customer, AK, papers to sign for a replacement ATM card, prosecutors said, she also had the victim unknowingly sign papers for a credit card.

HA allegedly obtained the card and used it to withdraw cash from the victim's account. It was only when A K contacted the bank can complained about the missing money that the scheme was exposed, a legal adviser for the bank testified. "We set up an internal investigations team and questioned the defendant, as she was the customer's primary contact," the legal adviser said. Police investigators said HA used the card several times in April and May of 2007.

According to prosecutors, HA confessed to the charges. But in court yesterday she denied the accusations. The presiding judge, Fahmy Mounir Fahmy, adjourned the case until next month. amustafa@thenational.ae